International Flights Disrupted Amid Middle East Crisis

Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, at least 175 international flights were cancelled on Thursday at major Indian airports in Delhi and Bangalore, according to officials. The travel chaos affected numerous passengers as several airlines, including those from the Middle East, commenced limited operations to evacuate stranded individuals.

In Mumbai, 105 flights—40 departures and 65 arrivals—were cancelled. At Delhi airport, 22 departures and 18 arrivals were disrupted, while Bangalore saw 16 departures and 14 arrivals cancelled. SpiceJet announced the operation of 13 special flights, while Akasa Air has planned a service to and from Mumbai and Jeddah.

Flight routes to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, and Kuwait are suspended until March 2026, following airspace restrictions. The Ministry of Civil Aviation reported that on March 4, nearly 70,000 passengers departed on 381 international flights from Indian airports. Notably, Emirates and Qatar Airways have commenced limited relief flights despite ongoing airspace limitations.